


in all this bitterness, you stay so sweet

by dumbochan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Action...sure, Adventure maybe, Angst? A bit I Guess, But not exactly The Little Mermaid..., Fluff lots, M/M, merman au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-07-11
Packaged: 2018-10-31 08:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10895616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumbochan/pseuds/dumbochan
Summary: Daichi enjoyed watching land dwellers surf on waves from the comfort of the deep ocean depths, until one day he made a drastic decision to save one from drowning. Daichi continues to break all of his family rules about going above the surface to continue growing this friendship he now has with Kuroo.Kurodai Week Day 8: Mythical Creatures





	1. First Meetings

**Author's Note:**

> I did like a headcanon-esque post about this last year after @Kythen did a merman AU. Back then I claimed that I had no plans to write it... but then here I am today...
> 
> I planned to finish this in time for Kurodai week, but that didn't happen, yet at the same time I would have felt bad for just posting it late...? So it will be a chapter story, and I will complete it within the next week! I promise!!!
> 
> Please enjoy this labor of love.
> 
> Oh! And the title is from Cruel by Snakehips ft. Zayn.

“Keishin! Where is that boy of yours?”  King Ukai questioned, pointing his trident a little too close to his grandson’s face. Keishin sighed, pushing the spear away and then backing up a bit.

“I’m unsure, should I go ask Ittetsu?”

“You should always keep tabs on your son, Keishin! You never know when something might happen and you’ll need to fetch him…”

“If this is about you dying…you’re not going to die anytime soon…unfortunately.” Keishin muttered the last part, but it still earned him a strike with the three-pronged spear.

“This is not about my death! We all know I will outlive you! This is about Daichi’s training! He will become of age at the end of this year, and he will have to start learning what it means to be a descendant of the great sea king!” This did surprise Keishin just a tad. For one, as the next in line for position of King, he expected for himself to be the one to teach his son the importance of their family rule, at a much later date. Like maybe after he had taken the throne and the old man was locked away somewhere? Secondly, he was unsure that his grandfather would even allow Daichi to learn and eventually master the trident. The king adored his great grandson, probably a lot more than he adored Keishin (not that Keishin cared that much), but Daichi did not have a bloodline to their ancestors.

“He’s probably out enjoying his youth. He is only 17. Why not wait until he’s 20, like you did with me?”

“The land dwellers are teaching their youths to operate machinery that could lead to deadly crashes at the age of 18, so I will do the same! Sure, a trident does not equate to one of those land carriages! Sure, Daichi can not die in a deadly clash because tridents are not given to every teen, but it takes time to master!” As the King continued his spiel about the importance of starting Daichi’s training so young, Keishin’s life partner Ittetsu swam in. “Oh! Ittetsu! Just the one we wanted to see!”

“Y-yes?”

“I’m sure you keep tabs on Daichi compared to that blonde thing over there.”

“Ah! Yes your highness!”

“Ittetsu… we’re family, you don’t have to address me with such titles.”

“Daichi is…” Ittetsu paused, sharing a look with Keishin. Keishin immediately understood the unspoken location of his son, and he took a deep inhale and exhale of water bubbles to calm his nerves before the upcoming storm…

 

 

~~

 

 

There was something relaxing for Daichi about the surface of the ocean, even though he was well aware of all the rules he was currently breaking. He had a solution though. He never  _actually_ went up to the surface, therefore was he  _really_  breaking the rules? His favorite pastime was staying deep in the comfortable depths of the ocean, but up enough where he could watch the land dwellers stand on waves.

 

It was fascinating! They manipulated these boards to do all types of turns and speed through the water. Daichi wanted to try it, but it was probably ineffective with a tail. So he lived vicariously through these land dwellers, spending his days watching them have fun and experience something he never would be able to. In fact, there was one land dweller that Daichi spotted frequently. Though he had never seen him up close, he could easily spot him, his board was branded with some funky art of a weird creature. Suga told him the land dwellers call it a cat.

 

Sudden darkness seemed to eat up the sunlight that hit the surface of the water, and that was Daichi’s cue to leave. He knew the source of those sudden storm clouds, and he dreaded the journey home.

 

 

~~

 

 

“This has been the fifth time, Daichi! How many times must I tell you that it is important for you to not run off on your duties. You are needed here at the palace! You will eventually become King, and how will you learn if you’re not even around?” King Ukai’s voice roared throughout the palace walls, and Daichi tried not to flinch.

“I’m sorry…”

“As you should be! I have told you to never go near the surface! Land dwellers are dangerous! You cannot go around being so reckless!”

“I wasn’t  _near_  the surface…” Daichi corrected.

“Don’t get smart with me, boy. You know exactly what I’m talking about!”

“I think Daichi understands his wrongdoings and promises to not do them again.” Keishin spoke up, and Ittetsu opened his arms to Daichi who cautiously swam over. “Is that right, Daichi?”

“Yes…”

“Very well then. Go on home, and rest up. I want you here tomorrow morning. You will shadow me as I visit the villages.” King Ukai spoke up, “I’m not mad at you Daichi, I just want you to stay safe.”

“I understand, I’m sorry.”

“Now go home.”

 

 

 

Daichi could handle a lecture from his great grandfather, but he could not handle lectures from Keishin. After arriving home, Daichi was forced to sit through another lecture. A more passionate one about the importance of keeping the king happy by following the rules because it makes everyone’s life easier. He tuned his father out after that. Ittetsu would pipe in, every now and then, to either calm Keishin down or reprimand Daichi gently. The lecture lasted well through dinner and dessert, until Ittetsu dismissed Daichi to his room.

 

He’s not going through a rebellious stage, he’s just curious about what life is like beyond the sea. He’s heard the stories of how dangerous the land dwellers are, but he honestly feels merpeople are more dangerous. His grandfather can create massive storms, tsunamis, and earthquakes with a simple wave of his trident, how is that not more dangerous than guns, spears, and explosives?

 

 

~~

 

 

Daichi knew he had probably an hour before he was supposed to be at his grandfather’s palace, but he couldn’t resist seeing the land dwellers ride the waves just one last time. He promised himself he wouldn’t do anything stupid or risky, and would leave with plenty of time to make it to the palace before his grandfather sent out a search party for him.

 

He swam backwards, belly up towards the surface, waiting for some kind of action. The iconic cat board caught his eyes, and he found himself swimming just a little bit closer to get a better look. Two legs straddled the board and it caused Daichi to look down at his tail, wondering what legs felt like. Did they hurt? Why did land dwellers need two? Why couldn’t one suffice? He watched the legs disappear from the water, and followed as the board began to guide through the waves. It was fun to keep up, although the speed of the board had nothing on the actual speed of a merperson swimming, but it was a nice challenge for Daichi because it was hard to slow yourself down once you got into the habit. Daichi watched from below as the wave grew and grew, suddenly overtaking the cat board. That wasn’t supposed to happen.

 

He could now see the legs kicking frantically, trying to return to the surface. Oh no! The board sunk fast, getting stuck in some seaweed. Daichi quickly hid from sight, watching the land dweller try to remove his leg from the strap that kept him connected to the board. The land dweller was making a lot of bubbles, and Daichi knew enough about land people to know that a lot of bubbles meant they were losing air. He had to save him!

 

Daichi quickly swam from his hiding spot, helping the land dweller who started to go limp, from the traps of seaweed and pulling him to the surface. Once his head was above the water, Daichi looked around. He didn’t have time to take in the sights, because he had to find a place to dump this person so he could hide again. He found a tiny piece of floating land, hidden by huge dunes and swam over there, hauling this person and their board onto the ground. He looked over the person, not sure what to do. This guy, with his messy wet hair, and long eyelashes, and…sharp jawline… the guy began to cough, which startled Daichi but had to be a good sign. Daichi quickly wadded back and away, watching this person cough up water and gasp for breath. He should really be leaving. He should dive deep into the depths of the ocean, headed straight for the palace and not bothering to look back… but he couldn’t get himself to move…

 

“Thank you.” The guy suddenly spoke up, making Daichi’s eyes go wide. The stranger’s head turned towards him, eyes peeking open just the slightest. Daichi caught a glimpse of gold before quickly diving under the sea and swimming away as fast as he could.

 

 

~~

 

 

It took Tetsurou a few moments to recuperate from his near death by drowning experience. He sat up, filling his lungs with oxygen until he didn’t feel like was going to pass out. He stood slowly, taking a hold of his board which surprisingly was still in one piece, and began to make his way home.

 

During the walk, Tetsurou really thought about what happened. One second he was riding a wave, and then the next he was struggling to make it back to surface, and then he was on the shore coughing up water. He could have sworn he saw someone…that he  _thanked_  someone for saving his life, but it was too early for any lifeguards to be on duty. Tetsurou heard a noise and looked up at the sky. Storm clouds were starting to form, meaning he really had to hurry.

 

Upon arrival, he dumped his board on the back porch and snuck in through a back door. Tetsurou made his way to the bathroom so he could shower off the salty sea water, but stopped when it swung open and his father stepped out, equipped in all his fishing gear. “Going to work already?” Tetsurou asked, not expecting his father to be leaving two hours earlier than usual. “It looks like it’s going to storm.”

“All the more reason to go now. I have to get out to the calm belt before the storm takes over and prevents me from leaving the dock. I feel like today will be a good catch.” His father looked him over, “Are you okay? Looks like you got drenched. Did you go surfing this morning?”

“Maybe…”

“Tetsurou! You know how your mother feels when you go before lifeguards are on duty! What if something happened to you?”

“Nothing happened to me though…”

“Oh, tell the truth you, rascal.” Tetsurou’s father teased, making him laugh. His father always knew when something was up. Tetsurou liked to think it was from all the time he spent with him on the fishing boat as a kid.

“I did wipeout, but I made it back to shore, obviously.”

“You were probably saved by a mermaid.”

“Come on, mom says those stories aren’t true.”

“She’s never spent a life at sea! I’m telling you, Tetsurou, merpeople are real, and though we steal their fish friends, they have sympathy for us. I’ve told you before of all the fishermen before me who’ve almost drowned in the sea and were saved by merfolk.”

“Stop filling his head with this nonsense and come eat breakfast!” Tetsurou’s mom reprimanded. His father gave him a wink and pat on the back before passing by to enter the kitchen.

 

During his shower, Tetsurou began to think over his father’s words. Although his mother did say the stories were nonsense, Tetsurou has heard them for multiple sources. Sure, they were all from fishermen, but there had to be  _something_  there. What if he  _was_  saved by a merperson? The correct thing to do would be to thank them…but what if he never saw them again? Was it a male? A female? Did they even identify themselves as such genders? Tetsurou, however, was not one to back down from a scientific discovery. Starting tomorrow morning, he would go back to the beach and scope out the sea until he found some answers.

 

 

~~

 

 

During the swim to the villages with his grandfather, Daichi couldn’t help but wonder if the land dweller he saved was okay. He was also worried if the creature had recognized him? Did he get a good look at Daichi? Did he go back to his fellow land walkers, share the news, and are now sending search parties to find the merpeople? He’d be in so much trouble if his fathers or grandfather found out…

 

“Are you listening, Daichi?” Old Ukai asked, forcing Daichi out of his own head.

“I’m sorry, did you say something?”

“I was asking if you were okay. You seem out of it?”

“Oh… I went for a swim and I think I overdid it.” Daichi partly lied.

“Haha, good joke!” King Ukai laughed heartily, patting Daichi on the back. “So, as I was saying, it’s important to know who lives where and with whom—” Daichi zoned out again, not trying to listen to more and more information about the importance of knowing everyone in the villages.

 

He already knew who lived in the villages, who lived in the outskirts, who lived in the palace and so forth. He’s known it because he always goes on these visits with his grandfather. He had been going on these visits ever since he was 13. The only reason he still continued to go on these visits was to satisfy his family. Daichi’s thoughts drifted back to the land dweller, and what he could possibly be up to right now.

 

“Daichi?” Old Ukai snapped him back out of this thoughts.

“Yes?”

“You’re not thinking of those land walkers…are you?”

“N-no, sir.”

“They’re not like us. They don’t care about us. About the reefs, the homes of our people, our friends. They overfish, depleting our population, our food sources too. They pollute our homes with their trash, and dirty oil. If they knew about our kind, they would just use us as slaves or science experiments. They’re monsters. And we must be wary of them.”

Daichi sighed, “Yes, sir.”

 

~~

 

 

As planned, Tetsurou arrived at the beach at the crack of dawn, preparing for the discovery of his lifetime. He grabbed his board, and paddled out to the middle of the ocean, waiting. The waves were calm today, which wasn’t very exciting for Tetsurou, and he was starting to feel dumb. These conditions were boring to him as a surfer, so it must be boring for a merperson too, right?

 

Tetsurou waited…and waited…and waited, and just when he was about to give up, her heard the slightest splash. It could easily just be a random fish, but Tetsurou had hope. He slipped off his board, and into the water, hoping that his acting wouldn’t end up with him actually drowning…

 

~~

 

Although Daichi had just spent the entirety of yesterday with his grandfather and learning that he must stay away from land dwellers, he still found himself hanging out in the deep depths of the sea, staring up at the surface and hoping to catch a glimpse of the one he saved. He tried to convince himself that he was just concerned if the guy was okay and still alive. Understandable because Daichi did a good deed, and just needs validation that his good deed was in fact… good.

 

Spotting the familiar cat symbol, Daichi swam a bit closer. The waves were not very strong, King Ukai probably busy doing something else then. A glimpse of black movement caught Daichi’s eye and he looked to see the land dweller in the water and sinking fast. Not again…if this guy can’t swim, he really shouldn’t be riding waves, Daichi thought to himself as he rushed to help. He pulled the land person towards the board and guided them both to the same dune as last time. Just when Daichi was about to swim away, he felt someone touch his arm, causing him to freeze. “Wait, I wanted to thank you for saving me.” The land dweller said, and Daichi turned to meet his eyes. “I’m Kuroo Tetsurou… wait…can you even understand me? You probably can’t…but look, I promise not to tell anyone about you okay. Are you alone? Do you live with others?” Daichi snapped back to his senses, pulling out of this… Kuroo’s, grasp. “Wait! Please meet me here tomorrow! Same time. Please?” Daichi didn’t bother responding, diving into the water and swimming home at his maximum speed. This was a bad idea. A really bad idea.

 

~~

 

 

Looking back, Tetsurou probably could have approached this situation better.

 

As Tetsurou made his way to the dunes the next morning, he was very skeptical. He probably terrified the poor merman, and he definitely would not come back to meet him. Which really really sucks because Tetsurou was fascinated! Merpeople were not myths! Fishermen were correct about their stories and it now seemed very likely that they were saved by kind merfolk. That…and the stories about merfolk being very attractive seemed to ring true. The one that Tetsurou had met, had the most captivating brown eyes, and a quite symmetrical face though Tetsurou is not an expert in that division of science.  

 

He took a seat on the sandy beach, unpacking his things. He kept it simple with just a notebook, pencils, a sketchpad, watercolor palette and a waterbrush pen, along with some snacks and plenty of water and sunscreen. Even if the merperson didn’t show up, at least he can get some decent sketches and recordings of his surroundings.

 

Tetsurou got so into his sketches, that he didn’t notice the movement around him. He looked up to get a good glimpse at his view and jumped when he saw the merman from yesterday leaning with his upper body against the rocks, his tail making currents in the water. “H-hi.”

“Hi.”

“So…you can understand me?” The merman nodded, “And that means you understood me yesterday?” Another nod, “Well…that’s pretty obvious seeing as you’re here right now.. okay.. good.” Kuroo set his sketch down carefully and sat up a little straighter. “Do you have a name?”

“You can call me Daichi.”

“Daichi? Cool! Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too, Kuroo-san.”

“Oh you don’t have to be so formal with me! How old are you? Do you have an age? Do you have a birthday?”

“So many questions…”

“I’m sorry! I don’t mean to bombard you! I’m just curious.”

“I turn 18 on the last day of the year. I believe your kind call it December 31st?”

“That means you’re my age! I turn 18 on November 17.” Kuroo shared, “Can I ask you another question?”

“…Was that the question?”

“No, I mean… I wanted to ask why you’re okay with meeting me.”

Daichi tilted his head a bit, which Tetsurou thought was cute, “I’m not sure. I’m intrigued? As you are too, also you promised not to tell anyone. Do you still keep that promise?”

“Yes, of course. Top secret!”

“May I ask you a question now?”

“Yes, sure, anything!”

“What is it like to ride waves?”

“Ride waves?” Tetsurou thought carefully, “Oh you must mean surfing!”

“Surfing?”

“Yes, it’s a sport where you essentially use the waves momentum to carry your board. It’s quite fun! I feel one with the ocean…of course, you probably feel that way all the time.”

“It is my home.”

“Amazing… what’s it like?”

“Living in the ocean?”

“Yeah.”

“I would assume like living on the land…but underwater?” Daichi stated, “By the way…you’re a horrible swimmer.” That comment made Tetsurou laugh.

 

~~

 

 

Daichi honestly never expected that this Kuroo guy would actually be interesting and fun to talk to. He learned more about surfing and even about the art of watercolor. Fascinating how, Kuroo called it a brushpen, a single brushpen could fill a blank piece of parchment with so many colors. Kuroo even allowed Daichi to try it himself, and though he was not very good, it was quite the experience.

 

Daichi asked to meet again, but Kuroo mentioned something about ‘school’, where children gather to learn from books and boring lectures. Daichi laughed because the only school he knew of were schools of fish. That being said, they did agree on another date, and Daichi was definitely looking forward to it. As he swam back home, he began to think of all the questions he could ask Kuroo, maybe even bring him some of the souvenirs and trinkets he found in shipwrecks to ask what they were used for and such. He couldn’t wait.

 

 


	2. The Storm Brewing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi and Kuroo's friendship develops further, making their secret harder to keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry... :)

It has been a week since Daichi had last seen Kuroo, and today was finally the day that they could meet again. He told his fathers that he would be going for a swim, and quickly made his way towards the dune before they could question him or make him late.

 

When Daichi arrived at the dune, he was surprised to find Kuroo there already. “Were you waiting long?” he questioned, perching his upper body against the rocks.

“No, I just arrived.” Kuroo admitted, placing his bag down. “I know this is a weird question…but can I see your tail?”

“My tail?” Daichi questioned looking down into the water. “I guess it’s not that weird of a question… since I can see your tail.” Daichi commented looking over at Kuroo’s legs. He carefully lifted himself up and onto the sandy beach that Kuroo sat on, keeping the very end of his tail wet so he wouldn’t get too dehydrated.

 

Daichi’s tail was dark, practically black, but what made it unique was the random orange scales speckled throughout. They looked cooler when the sunlight hit them. At home, they get plenty of sunlight, but Daichi never really bothered to truly look at his tail… it was always behind him after all.

 

“Amazing…” Kuroo commented, observing the scales closely, “May I?” Kuroo lifted a hand towards Daichi’s tail. Daichi nodded slowly, no one had ever asked to feel his tail before, so it was a little weird, but whatever. When Kuroo’s hand made contact with it, Daichi wanted to know what was going on in his head. Did it feel weird? Daichi never really thought about the texture of his tail, he never  _had_  to think of it. “It looks like it’ll be rough, but it’s actually quite smooth. It’s not even slimy.”

“Slimy?”

“Yeah. I’ve felt a few dolphins in my lifetime, and they have this smooth, rubbery yet slimy feel to their skin. Slimy probably doesn’t sound very appealing, but it’s like a good type of slimy.”

“It sounds horrible. I can’t imagine being slimy.” Daichi admitted.

“Do all mermaids have the same tail color? Or are they all unique?”

“For the most part… they’re pretty random honestly. My tail is obviously black and orange, but my best friend’s is this weird shiny silver color. Another friend’s is bright yellow. My dads both have black tails, but one has this weird pattern where it’s only black in the center of the scales, and a muted yellow around it. The other is black, but appears purple in some light.”

“You have two dads?”

“Yeah… I was abandoned as a guppy, and then taken in by Keishin and his partner Ittetsu. Keishin, is actually the next in line for throne, and so that makes me his successor.”

“So you’re like a prince??”

“I don’t go by that title, but I guess it’s true in a way.”

“Wow… so what happens when you eventually take the throne?”

“That won’t be for a while! My great grandfather is still sitting on it…but I get the power of the triton. So I’ll control weather and the waves, while also being spokesperson for the other sea creatures. I also get to sit and listen to everyone’s problems all day. It’s so boring. Did you know fish fight over the silliest of things? Like once, I was allowed to sit in during a few of the complaints, and one clownfish was mad that another clownfish invaded his anemone as he tried to escape being eaten. Isn’t that just crazy? The other clownfish was only going to be there until the coast was clear, but it was blown way out of proportion.”

“You all have disputes and settle them based off the King’s decision? That’s a little similar to our court systems. Of course, there’s a lot more complicated process for you to actually dispute in front of a judge, and most cases are just settled without going to trial.” Kuroo explained, “Is it safe to say that you’ve pretty much encountered every sea creature around?”

“Well…not every sea creature, but a good majority? Some creatures I can only truly encounter when I’m with my grandfather. There’s an area in our village that houses what you would consider criminals, and they don’t really care about much and can be pretty reckless. They only truly fear the King thanks to the triton. Understandable because it’s quite the dangerous weapon.”

“I’m a little jealous.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to university soon, which is like a bigger school where you learn things in a specific field, and I’m studying chemistry and marine biology.”

“What’s that?”

“Chemistry is the study of chemicals, and marine biology is essentially life in the ocean.”

“So you’d study me?”

“Well… your fish friends… a lot of humans still don’t know if you exist.”

“Sounds boring.” Daichi commented, making Kuroo laugh. “But if that’s what you’re into, good for you. I can always help you with your studies. Fish are weird.”

“And you can talk to them.”

“Unfortunately.”

“How did you learn Japanese, if I might ask.”

“We live decently close to here, and back in the day, according to the King, there was once a time where merpeople and humans got along. The humans taught my ancestors to speak the language so they could trade effectively and we helped you all with fishing, and how to properly eat them. But you all messed up a bit when you started over-fishing, and when asked by the then King to stop because you were causing other merpeople to starve, you all ignored us.”

“I-I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s fine… I guess that was the start of the falling out between merpeople and you land dwellers. There’s more to the story, as there always is, but my grandfather hasn’t told me it yet. He just told me to stay away from the surface because you all are dangerous.”

“Yet here you are… so if he finds out you’ll be in a lot of trouble right?”

“A lot would probably be an understatement. Though he’s not going to find out because you’re not going to tell anyone…you promised.”

“I won’t tell, but I also don’t want to get you in trouble.”

“Just keep your promise and we’ll be fine. I quite enjoy talking to you, and learning about your people. Maybe when I become King, I can try to establish relations between merpeople and your kind.”

 

Kuroo and Daichi spent a bit more time talking and getting to know each other and their thoughts.

 

~~

 

 

The next month continued on in a similar fashion. Tetsurou meeting up with Daichi whenever he could, and they would talk about their time apart, and what their two worlds had in common or what was different about them. The conversations were always insightful, Tetsurou learning something new each time. Tetsurou also no longer saw Daichi as a merperson, but a companion in general. He would even go as far as to call Daichi a friend.

 

There was this innocence about Daichi, due to him being a bit clueless about humans and the society they lived in, and Tetsurou could say the same about himself and merfolk. Yet, he could still relate to Daichi. They’ve both had many lectures from their parents about being reckless teens. They both don’t agree a 100% with their society’s views and pressures. Their worlds were so different, yet so similar.

 

Today, Daichi was going to bring some souvenirs he found in a shipwreck, and Tetsurou was going to tell him all about the objects. It was exciting, trying to anticipate what Daichi could possibly have found with his mer-friends. Tetsurou wondered if there was anything extremely valuable. It also made him wonder if there’s a lack of valuable treasures on sunken ships because there were never any valuables or because merfolks found them before any marine salvaging could take place.

 

When he arrived at their sandy little dune haven, Daichi was hidden behind a rock. “Hey.” Tetsurou called out, plopping himself down on the sand. Daichi swam over from his hiding spot, a bag woven from seaweed in his hands.

“Hey.”

“Nice bag, did you make it yourself?” Tetsurou asked as Daichi placed it on the beach.

“No, my dad. Does your hair always do that?”

Tetsurou looked up, which was ineffective due to his fringe, “…Yeah.”

“It’s like you just came out from a swim and used one of those…” Daichi paused, making vague gestures with his hands, “rectangle sheets to dry it.”

“A towel?”

“Yeah! That!”

Tetsurou laughed at Daichi’s enthusiasm, “So what did you bring me today?”

“A few things…” Daichi pulled out a blue bottle, handing it over to Kuroo with care.

“This is a bottle… looks like a rum bottle actually.”

“What’s rum?”

“An alcohol.” Tetsurou answered, watching Daichi just blink at him, “A fermented liquid that we drink. It’s pretty much poison.”

“You voluntarily poison yourselves?”

“People enjoy the taste and the feeling being drunk can give them.” Tetsurou explained, “But be careful with this, when this thing shatters, it can really hurt you.”

“Okay.” Daichi said, gingerly placing the bottle back into his bag. “What is this?”

“A gold chain…” Tetsurou said taking a closer look, “Probably worth a bit of money, honestly.”

“Do you want it?”

“No way. If people find out that you’ve found some gold, it’d start a bunch of problems for you and your kind. Let’s just keep this a secret.”

“Oh…okay.” Daichi placed it back into his bag, “And what about this?”

“A fork. We use this to eat, sometimes.”

“How?” Daichi asked gently touching the prongs of the fork which were thankfully dull.

“Those things that you’re poking at, prongs, pierce through food, making it easier to lift to your mouth. It’s to help keep your hands clean as you eat.”

“Don’t you have mini towels to keep your hands clean?”

“Napkins, yes, but it’s easier with forks.” Tetsurou commented.

 

“Can I ask you a question?” Kuroo asked after going through all the items in Daichi’s bag, and watching him put them away carefully.

“Yes.”

“Around your neck, what is that?”

Daichi looked down, “Shark tooth necklace. I’ve had it since I was thirteen. A gift from wrestling my first great white.”

“Really??”

“No.” Daichi laughed, “We don’t just casually wrestle sharks. They actually lose teeth quite often, so we collect them and place them around our necks. This actually is from a mako shark, not a great white.”

“That’s awesome. Do you guys freak out when you see sharks?”

“Not really. We’re not their main source of food, and as long as we stay out of their way, we’re good. Plus, we _can_ communicate with them.”

“You make a good point.”

“What about this?” Daichi asked, pointing to the black woven bracelet wrapped around Tetsurou’s right wrist. “Is this your equivalent to my shark tooth?”

“You can say that. My dad gave this to me as a kid, and I never really…took it off? That sounds gross thinking about it…”

“Not really, seeing as I never take this off either.” Daichi laughed, which in turn, made Tetsurou laugh.

 

~~

 

 

 

When Tetsurou left his meeting with Daichi, he couldn’t seem to wipe off the smile on his face. The happiness seemed to radiate, and Tetsurou found himself spreading cheer to strangers, smiling and giving passing hellos. As he came up to a local ice cream parlor, he noticed his good friend Bokuto there eating a triple scoop in various flavors. “Hey Bo!”

“Kuroo! My man!” Bokuto hooted, walking over to throw an arm over Tetsurou’s shoulder. “Ice cream?” Bokuto offered, shoving the cup in Tetsurou’s face.

“No thanks, I’ll pass.”

“You don’t know what you’re missing out!” Bokuto exclaimed, removing his arm from around Tetsurou so he could shove a spoonful of chocolate-peanut butter chunk into his mouth. “What’s got you all smiley?”

“I just got back from meeting a friend.”

“Really? Do I know him?”

“No…he’s not from around here. He was just visiting.”

“That sounds super! Visiting from where?”

“Uh…some island.” Tetsurou lied while also making a mental note to ask Daichi about the name of his village/kingdom.

“So is that why you’re always at the beach so early in the morning? I went by your place…sometime last week, and your mom said you had left to go surfing.”

“Kind of, not really. I just tell her that so she won’t worry too much.”

“I’m excited for you! I love making new friends, so I’m glad you made a new one too! What’s he like?”

“He’s pretty cool. A chill dude, but very curious about his surroundings. Same age as us… he has a lot of fun stories to listen to.”

“He sounds great. I want to meet him!”

“I-I’m not too sure about that, Bo. The dude is really shy.” Tetsurou explained, hoping that would help deter Bokuto from wanting to meet Daichi. Better yet, he might as well just change the subject entirely. “Did you get that new game you wanted?”

“New—oh! Dude! It’s so great!” Bokuto then went on a long tangent about his new video game and how he couldn’t way to show Kuroo the ropes, the graphics, and etc. Tetsurou was thankful for his friend’s short attention span.

 

~~

 

A week had passed since Daichi had last met up with Kuroo, and today he was going to bring a few pearls and stones that he found under the sea. He had skipped breakfast to find where he had hidden these treasures in the palace, away from his fathers’ eyes, so he was getting pretty hungry. Daichi looked around in search for food. Some seaweed had washed up shore, so he started to gather it, washing the sand off in the sea, and began to munch away. It wasn’t as good as the seaweed near the palace, but it will do for now.

 

When Daichi spotted Kuroo’s messy mop of hair, he decided to play a small prank. He hid under the water, just below the surface and waited. Once Kuroo was sitting down on the beach, unsuspecting because he was too busy rummaging through his bag, Daichi quickly emerged from the water, splashing him. Kuroo’s initial shock made Daichi laugh, dodging Kuroo’s attempt to splash him back. “Very funny.” Kuroo commented.

“I thought so.” Daichi laughed again, swimming a bit closer to lean on his favorite rock, “How are you today?”

“I’m great actually. I found out last night I got into the college of my dreams.”

“That’s good, right?”

“That, my friend, is excellent.”

“Does that mean I won’t see you anymore?” Daichi asked out of curiosity. He wasn’t really sure what answer he was expecting, just as Kuroo probably wasn’t anticipating this question. Daichi also couldn’t really pinpoint whether or not he was sad at the thought of not seeing Kuroo anymore.

“No, I’ll still visit you. It just might not be as often, which is okay. You’ll be busy with your training and such, so I doubt you’ll miss me too much.” Daichi thought over Kuroo’s words for a second.

“I…I think I might.”

“What?”

“I think I might actually miss you.” Daichi admitted, searching Kuroo’s face for a response. Instead Kuroo’s cheeks got really red, which reminded him of the red sea urchin his dad found yesterday. “I…uh, I brought something for you.” Daichi announced, digging through his own bag and pulling out the pearls. “It’s a pearl…do you have things like this here on land?”

“Yeah, yeah we do. People love to use it as jewelry.” Kuroo explained, leaning closer to look at the gem. “I’ve never seen one this iridescent though.”

“Yeah, they are pretty rare. The king has most of them; his crown is made from ones like this. We actually keep others on display. It gives the people something nice to look at in the palace.” Daichi explained.

“So your future crown will be covered in gems like this?”

“Yeah. I don’t think it really suits my hair style though.” Daichi teased.

“I think you’ll look great.” Kuroo complimented, and Daichi swore now his own cheeks were about to turn red. “…yeah, so have you ever heard of aquamarine? It was once said to be made from mermaid tears.”

“No, I’ve never heard it. I’ve also never really seen a merperson cry…then again, why would you cry underwater?”

“True.” Kuroo laughed, glancing past Daichi and towards the open ocean. “You have it pretty lucky, you never have to worry about doing your hair…or getting dressed up to go to events.”

“Right… I just have to worry about not getting eaten by creatures bigger than me.”

“Kuroo!!” Daichi turned to see who was calling Kuroo. Some guy with grey and black hair ran over, a wide smile on his face.

“Bokuto?!”

“You know him?” Daichi asked, confused.

“W-well, y-yeah, but I—“

“You must be the friend Kuroo was telling me about! Nice to meet you! I’m Bokuto Koutarou.” The guy shouted, extending a hand towards Daichi.

“You told me you weren’t going to tell anyone! You promised!” Daichi complained. A rush of emotions washed over him. Anger, disappointment, and mostly hurt and betrayal. “Not only did you tell him, you brought him here!”

“I didn’t know this would happen! I didn’t tell him! He must have followed me!” Kuroo tried to defend, but Daichi wasn’t up for hearing excuses.

“I can’t believe you…” Daichi had no choice but to run away. “My grandfather was right… you land dwellers don’t care about us.”

“What?! No! Daichi! That’s not true at all!” Kuroo called out, and Daichi felt like maybe he would actually cry. He wadded backwards, away from Kuroo and his friend. “Wait! Hear me out!” Daichi shook his head no before taking a dive deep, and not bothering to look back as he swam home.

 

~~

 

 

Tetsurou sat for a minute or two, just staring out into the ocean, and ignoring Bokuto’s questions. When he finally snapped back into reality, he felt absolutely horrible. “Kuroo… are you okay?” Bokuto asked cautiously. Tetsurou could hear the sadness in his friend’s voice.

“No, I don’t think I am.”

“Do you want to talk about it? I’m really sorry for following you… I was just really curious.”

“I-it’s fine, Bo.”

“I now understand why you didn’t want to tell me he was a merman too. Although that is pretty cool.”

“I hurt him, Bo. He probably hates me right now.”

“No one can hate you. Just give it some time!” Bokuto advised, “Like I said, I’m really sorry, and I promise not to say a word to anyone either!”

“Let’s just go home…”

 

 

 

The guilt weighed heavy on Tetsurou’s shoulders, especially as time went on and on, with no sight of Daichi. With each passing week, Tetsurou found his heart getting heavier and heavier. All he wanted to do was apologize. To tell Daichi that he was sorry, and he never knew this would happen. How Bokuto had promised not to tell anyone as well, and his secret was still safe. To admit to Daichi that he missed him…

 

“I don’t think he’s coming today.” Bokuto explained after Tetsurou had lie sprawled on the beach, staring at the sky. It had become a pattern. Tetsurou would come out at his usual time, waiting and waiting for a sign of Daichi…and two hours later Bokuto would come to check up on him. “He’s probably afraid right now…who knows if he’s still in the area. Aren’t merfolk nomads or something?”

“He said they had been there for centuries…not that it even matters. I don’t know how far his home is from here anyway.”

Bokuto paused for a second, “Come on, let’s go get some food. You need to eat.”

 

Tetsurou wanted to say that he wasn’t hungry. He wanted to complain more, tell Bokuto how bad he felt for hurting his friend’s feelings. How bad he felt for putting his friend’s deepest secret in danger. Instead, he just allowed Bokuto to help him to his feet and walk away from the beach.

 

~~

 

Daichi had let at least a month pass before he started returning to the dune. He always stayed hidden under the surface, not fully ready to face Kuroo, but he was ready to accept an apology. He wasn’t really mad anymore, but he was still hurt. He had thought he and Kuroo were truly friends…

 

As he made his way to the dune, he could sense something was different. That and there were a bunch of nets plunged deep into the water. What could all this mean?

 

~~

 

Tetsurou was surprised to find his dad packing a truck up full with fishing gear when he was getting ready to visit the dune to see if he could spot Daichi. “What’s going on?”

“Didn’t you hear? It’s the talk of the town! Someone spotted a merman!”

“W-what?” Tetsurou asked, his heart sinking into his stomach.

“All the fishing boats have been ordered to set sail. Whomever catches the merman will get a hefty reward from the mayor. I have to go now, son.”

“But dad, wait! What will they do if they catch him?”

“Who knows? Experiment? Put him on display? The city aquarium hasn’t really made much money lately, if they somehow get the rights to keep them, our city will become quite the tourist destination! Hey, where are you going this early?”

“I was going to meet a friend.”

“Well, there’s no use. The sea will be filled with boats, you won’t be able to surf today. Now, I really have to go. Take care, son!” Tetsurou watched his father get into his truck and reverse out of his parking spot. Tetsurou waited for the coast to be clear before making his way to the beach.

 

On his run, he spotted Bokuto heading in his direction. “Bo! Did you say something?!” Tetsurou asked.

“What? No way! I was just coming to tell you! My dad told me this morning, he’s heading off to meet yours at the dock.”

“We have to go and warn Daichi!” Tetsurou said, breaking off into a sprint towards the beach.

“What makes you think he’ll even be there?” Bokuto asked, running after Tetsurou.   

“We have to do something! We can’t let him be discovered!”

 

Upon arrival, there was no clear sight of Daichi, which both relieved and terrified Tetsurou. “What are you going to do?” Bokuto asked between catching his breath.

“Daichi!” Tetsurou yelled, “If you’re out there and you can hear me… be careful! Someone must have overheard or spotted us, and now everyone is searching for you. Stay safe! Please!”

“Do you really think that’ll work?” Bokuto asked as Tetsurou visibly deflated.

“We can only hope.”

 

~~

 

When Daichi saw Kuroo and Bokuto running towards the dune, he quickly found a rock to hide behind. He carefully listened to what they were saying, trying to understand. Land dwellers were searching for _him_ …

 

Daichi wanted to thank Kuroo, to accept whatever apology he had, because it was now obvious that he cared. However, that wouldn’t be the smartest decision. Daichi was sad that everything had to end this way. Was sad that he couldn’t express his gratitude and give a proper goodbye. He quietly dived into the ocean, swimming home with his heart hurting.

 

During the swim home, Daichi also began to realize just how much trouble he had caused. He wasn’t the only one in danger, all of his kind, all of his people were in danger too…and it’s all his fault. If he would have just stayed below the surface…if he would have… no. Daichi didn’t regret saving Kuroo. He didn’t regret making a new friend. He just wished he could have either cut ties earlier, or been more careful.

 

When Daichi arrived at his home village, his fathers were waiting outside their cave. “Daichi! We’ve been looking for you! We’re having lunch with Gramps.” Keishin announced, while Ittetsu came to ruffle Daichi’s hair. “Where have you been?”

“…I was exploring.”

“Well you can explore more later, we have to go now!”

 

The swim to the palace was always a short distance, but now Daichi felt the distance was too short. He knew he would have to warn his grandfather of the ships…meaning that he would have to confess to breaking the rules. This was not appropriate behavior for a successor of the kingdom…

 

When the trio arrives at the palace, they were greeted by the guards as usual. Daichi felt absolutely horrible, and it only seemed to get worse the closer and closer they got to the dining room. Seeing King Ukai, beaming with pride, had Daichi staring down at the sandy floor. “Daichi, is there something wrong?” Ukai picked up immediately. He was good at reading people, and even better at reading his family. Daichi shook his head no, and Ittetsu swam over to place a hand on his shoulder as support.

“Come on, you can tell us anything.” Keishin prodded.

“I—I messed up.”

“What do you mean?” Old Ukai asked. He was originally resting at the head of the table, but he swam over, swam closer.

“There are fishing boats and nets everywhere off the coast of the nearest island…and it’s my fault.”

“Oh, Daichi, land dwellers fish all the time. How is that your fault?” Ittetsu asked, giving Daichi’s shoulder a squeeze.

“Because they’re looking for me…”

“What?!” The king roared, his voice echoing off the coral built walls.

“Why are they looking for you?” Keishin asked, more calm.

“I made a friend on the surface, and somehow news got out… I’m so sorry. I didn’t think this would happen…”

“Daichi!” The King began, placing his own hands on Daichi’s shoulder, and forcing the teen to look him in the eyes, “I told you…they cannot be trusted. They’re dangerous…yet you still disobeyed me.”

“I know. I’m really really sorry.”

“What’s important now is that you’re safe. I forbid you… I mean it. I _forbid_ you to go to surface.”

“But how are we going to fix this?”

“ _We_ are not going to fix this. I will handle it, I will fix this. That is my job, not yours. I don’t want you in any type of danger. I won’t allow that.”

“But it’s my fault! How can I help you? I want to help.” Daichi pleaded.

“No. I do not want to risk anything happening to you. I’m not sure what our plans will be yet, but I will have to warn everyone to stay away from the area. In fact, Keishin start warning the other villages.” Keishin nodded his head, quickly swimming away to do as he was asked. “I want you to go home with Ittetsu. We can have lunch another time. I have to take care of this now.”

“Don’t I deserve to be punished?”

“I can’t punish you for doing what I knew you would do eventually. Daichi, please, just go home, and stay safe.” King Ukai repeated, hugging his grandson before shouting for a counsel meeting. Daichi looked over at Ittetsu.

“I really am sorry…” he repeated as they swam back home.

“I know, I know.”

 

~~

 

By the time Keishin arrived back home, it was late. All the villages had been warned, and it caused a bit of an uproar. People were afraid, rightfully so. The King would have to spend the next few days, visiting the villages personally, to listen to complaints and explain how they must be more careful and what to do if you encounter any danger. The approach did not sit well with Daichi. His parents were also too calm, and too accepting. He deserved to be yelled at, so he could go through the ‘I hate you’ phase even though he could never in a million years actually hate them. He needed someone to verbally express their anger towards him, because he was angry at himself.

 

Instead, Ittetsu had asked about his friendship with Kuroo, finally giving Daichi the outlet he needed to talk about someone and an experience that made him happy. When Keishin arrived the talk continued, and he admitted that when he was Daichi’s age, he loved to go to the beaches and play pranks on the land dwellers with his friends Shimada and Takinoue. Daichi knew they were doing this so he wouldn’t feel bad, but it didn’t help that much.

 

Daichi came up with his own plan. He was going to fix this himself, he just needed to sneak out of the cave…which was practically impossible because he was definitely on watch. He had to wait it out, wait until his parents were playing their nightly game of starfish darts, before attempting to sneak out.

 

Now was the time, and Daichi slowly wadded towards the exit. “Daichi,” Keishin called out though his back was still to him. Daichi sighed, stupid water bubbles giving him away. “Come play darts with us.”

“I think I’ll pass.”

“It’s family bonding, plus I’m beating Ittetsu.”

“I’m not very good at darts.”

“I can teach you, go get your starfish.” Keishin ordered, and Daichi was close to arguing before he realized the opportunity he was just gifted.

“Okay, just give me a second.” He left the cave, swimming as fast as he could away from home. “Sorry dad…” he said to himself as he made his way towards the coast.

 

~~

 

Keishin should have known he messed up as soon as he said the words ‘go get your starfish’. He quickly left the cave, searching around for a sight that Daichi did not just run away, and is actually searching for starfish. He was let down. “Ittetsu! We have a problem…”

 

~~

 

Daichi found himself staring at the fishing net for probably… a few seconds too long. If we waited it out even longer, search parties would be appearing to take him back home. If he was going to go through with this, he had to do it, and do it now.

 

He swam into the net, using some of his weight to act like he was struggling to escape, and he waited…

 

~~  

 

 


	3. Still Got Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daichi is captured, and Kuroo wants to do whatever he can to safe him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After such a long wait... it's finally finished.

 

Being captured by the fishermen, being dumped onto the boat, and having to gasp for breath, somehow did not terrify Daichi. He was very accepting of his capture, of his discovery. This was the punishment he deserved. He looked around, observing all the stunned fishermen’s faces, one looking familiar, though, to his knowledge, he had never met a fisherman. Maybe it was the eyes? The golden brown color of them made Daichi feel safe, for some odd reason.

“I cannot believe we actually caught a merman!” One old fellow had said. “We-we must tell the mayor!”

“Hold your horses! For one, it’s not like we have reception this far into sea.” Another, with wild grey hair, had commented.

“…. Is this the right thing to do? What will happen to him?” The one with the golden eyes asked, making Daichi pout a bit. Did this fisherman really care about his wellbeing? There's no way he could...

 

~~

 

When news broke out about Daichi’s capture, Tetsurou felt absolutely terrible. He felt even worse when his father came home relaying that his boat and team were the one who found him. He really let Daichi down.

 

The mayor, Nekomata, was going to announce and reveal their town’s plans for Daichi tonight on the television. Tetsurou sat on the couch with Bokuto as their fathers shared a beer and waited for the broadcast. Both of their mothers were in the kitchen, not particularly interested.

 

“I don’t care what they do to the merman, really.” Bokuto’s father admitted, making Bokuto frown.

“Well… I at least hope they don’t injure him. He might be an animal, but he is also part human.” Tetsurou’s father pointed out, “I wonder even, if there are more of them hiding out there.”

“There has to be! Where else could he have come from?” Testurou tuned them out. It was crazy to think that Daichi’s fate now lie in their mayor’s hands.

“I’m sure he has a family.” Bokuto spoke up, surprising Tetsurou and both of their fathers, “Don’t you think they miss him? Or he misses them?”

“I don’t think they’re capable of such emotions, Koutarou.” Bokuto’s father spoke up.

“But… Kuroo san himself said that he is also part human, who’s to say that he doesn’t experience hurt, sadness, or loneliness, just like us.”

“Even if he did experience those emotions, who’s to say that he can even effectively communicate them? He didn’t speak one word to us, nor show any signs of understanding our questions when we caught him in our nets.”

“But--” Bokuto was cut off as the broadcast started. The four males turned their attention to the television screen, focusing on the fuzzy image of Mayor Nekomata and the giant tank in the center of the city aquarium, where Daichi was swimming around.

 

_“Citizens of Tokyo… we have great news! After much discussion, we feel it is best to have the mercreature stationed here in our city’s aquarium. As you can see, he is on great display, where everyone can come and witness him for themselves. I am now in the underwater showing, and I have a dear intern, Nobuyuki, up at the mouth of this open tank to give you a sneak peek of our newest attraction.” Nekomata explained before the camera panned to the Nobuyuki._

 

This ‘open tank’ looked nothing more than a giant above ground pool, surrounded by bleachers and stage lights. Nobuyuki stood on a step stool, holding up a hoop. Tetsurou was absolutely disgusted as he was forced to watch Daichi swim at high speed and jump through the pathetic hoop, only to be rewarded with a sardine from a can. The camera then went back to focusing on the mayor.

 

 _“Through technology and mimicking dolphin sound waves, we were able to communicate with the merman. He claims to be the only one in the area, but I’m sure once our showing goes public, more merfolk will be sighted.”_  Tetsurou was livid. Mimicking dolphin sound waves sounded like a load of bullshit, and feeding a merman, who’s supposed to be bringing you lots of money, canned sardines seemed inhumane. Where was the seaweed? Or sea urchin? Coral? Anything is better than  _canned_  sardines! Tetsurou was sure Daichi would prefer that fake chicken-by-the-sea tuna over the crap they were forcing on him. He couldn’t even bare to watch anymore honestly.

 

“Bo… come to my room.” He muttered, escaping the living room and heading to his bedroom.

“What’s up?” Bokuto asked, crashing on Tetsurou’s bed.

“We have to get him out of there.”

“What?  _We_? How are we supposed to steal a merman from an aquarium? Where would we even take him?? If we release him back in the ocean, they’ll just go looking for him again! There aren’t many options.”

“I have a plan! Obviously, Daichi let them find him. If we can set him free, and convince him to never come back…there’s no way they’ll be able to find him again.”

“Kuroo…this is crazy. We can get into a lot of trouble.”

“Yeah, but think of what you said earlier! Daichi has a family! He has emotions! Imagine how afraid he must be right now…”

 

~~

 

“You imbecile!” King Ukai scolded, hitting Keishin with the blunt end of his triton. Though Keishin knew he deserved it, he was glad that his grandfather had the mind to use the blunt end. “Sure, I didn’t actually verbally tell you to keep tabs on Daichi, but I also thought it was obvious! You know how much of a threat the land dwellers are! Poor boy must be terrified! I must make them pay!” With the wave of his triton, King Ukai unleashed an outrageous thunderstorm upon the nearest city.

“How is creating relentless storms going to make them pay? That won’t bring Daichi back!” Keishin argued.

“You have many jobs, Keishin! You’re the heir to my throne… but your most important job is fatherhood. You’re most important duty is family! You’re supposed to protect your family!”

“You think I don’t feel horrible??” Keishin blew up, “I miss Daichi just as much as you and Ittetsu! I feel horrible that my son couldn’t come to talk to me about his friendship with that land dweller before everything went south. I feel horrible that my son thinks its all his fault. I feel horrible that Daichi left and put himself in danger to keep us safe! You’re right! That’s my duty! I should have taken better care of him! I should have watched him better! I should have caught on faster! I should have stopped him! Saved him!!... but no matter what, we can’t do anything about it down here. Your storms, although powerful, are not making the land walkers suffer as much as Daichi must be suffering right now… it’s no use…”

"I...just want my grandson back, Keishin."

"I want him back too..."

 

~~

 

  
Daichi did have to admit…though very drab with not much to do either, the tank he was held captive in wasn’t  _too_  bad. It could have been a lot worse…and a lot smaller.  The only thing that really sucked was the food. He missed seaweed with fresh clams and krill. Or crabs. Mmm…delicious crabs. Daichi swam to the surface, going over to lean against the edge of the tank. Since it was so open, he could see the moon, and feel the rain. He felt bad that the land dwellers had to endure such weather, but it was comforting at the same time. This must mean that his family are okay, though probably angry at the news of his capture. But they were safe. That is what mattered most to him. He heard the plop of shoes splashing through puddles, and Daichi looked around, prepared to dive deep into the tank if it was one of the workers trying to force him to eat more sardines.

 

Instead, it was Kuroo. Adorned in an ugly yellow raincoat and a giant black umbrella. He was also sporting a giant grimace that was very uncharacteristic. Kuroo motioned to the step stool, and Daichi swam over to it as Kuroo climbed to the top step and took a seat. “How did you get in here?” Daichi asked.

“I know Nobuyuki…your supposed trainer. Stole his key.” Kuroo explained. “I brought you something.”

“You did?” Daichi asked, leaning closer and taking shelter from the rain under Kuroo’s umbrella. What fellow land dweller thought of this contraption? It came in handy.

“It’s no seaweed… and it’s not from some fancy place meaning it's not top quality, but I didn’t have much time.” Kuroo said holding out a small box of sashimi. A delicacy that Daichi had become quite familiar with. “It’s just salmon, tuna and yellowtail.” Daichi didn’t say much, ripping the top off and stuffing the fish into his mouth. “I thought you’d appreciate more than yucky sardines.”

“Thank you…” Daichi was grateful, and he paused in his gorging to look up at Kuroo, “I forgive you, you know?”

“I didn’t even say sorry yet.”

“I’ve heard you say it a million times. I was there all those times, watching you at the dunes.”

“D-did you hear my warning then?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then why are you here??” This was the first time Kuroo has ever raised his voice at Daichi, and it didn’t sit well with him.

“Excuse me?”

“I can’t believe you heard my warning and still got yourself caught in the nets! What were you thinking Daichi?? Do you understand what you just got yourself into?” Kuroo began, “They’re treating you like some show puppet! You sacrificed yourself to be treated like this? Did you even stop to think about--”

“You have no right to lecture me! All of this wouldn’t have happened if you had managed to keep your promise and keep our secret!” Daichi defended, causing Kuroo to shut his mouth quick.

“I… Bo wasn’t the one who told the townspeople.”

“I don’t care who told who!  _You_  told Bokuto! You started this mess!”

Kuroo sighed, “I’m sorry, Daichi. I just can’t stand to see you like this. What about your family?”

“They’re safe, and that’s all that matters.”

“Your safety is important too…”

“Kuroo, I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. I’m going to get you out of here.”

“How?”

“I have a plan, just trust me.”

“Last time I trusted you, you told your best friend about me and now the whole town knows I’m a merman.”

“…. Touche. Well, I have to go. I’m technically breaking the law right now, so I can’t get caught, plus my mom would kill me if she found out. Not to mention, Nobuyuki will get in trouble without his key.”

“Okay.” Daichi said, giving Kuroo the empty sashimi box.

“Take care of yourself for now, Daichi.”

“I will…wait! Can you bring me more food soon?”

“Sure. I’ll come back tomorrow night.”

“You promise?”

“Yes…and I won’t break it this time.”   

 

~~

Tetsurou was determined to keep to his word. He waited until night fall before convincing his parents that he would be staying the night at Bokuto’s, playing video games and eating junk. His father offered him a ride, which Tetsurou accepted, using the opportunity to stop by the convenience store to pick up more sashimi too. When he arrived at Bokuto’s, he waved goodbye to his father, with Bokuto hanging outside, acting as if he was washing his father’s truck. Once Tetsurou’s father was long gone out of sight, Bokuto slapped Tetsurou on the back.

“Ready to go visit your boy?”

“Yeah…”

“Hop in.” Bokuto said opening the passenger door for Tetsurou before yelling to his parents that they were going to go pick up a pizza. Bokuto then hopped in the driver’s seat and the duo made their way to the aquarium.

 

Once they arrived, Bokuto stayed on the lookout while Tetsurou went to sneak in through the back employee entrance, using the extra keycard he swiped from Nobuyuki’s gym locker the other day. Getting to Daichi’s tank was easy, now that Tetsurou had done it before and was aware of what to look out for. He quickly made his way up the steps, opening the boxes of sashimi as he did so for easy access. Daichi was floating around on his back, staring up at the night sky, and Tetsurou reached with his hand and had to splash a bit in the water to make his arrival known. Daichi quickly swam over, a small smile gracing his lips. “Hi…is that more yellowtail?”

“Yeah, you seemed to like that quite a bit, huh?” Tetsurou asked, holding out the box and watching Daichi reach for the fish and stuffing his mouth.

“Yeah, it’s pretty good. I still miss the food from home though.”

“Next time, I’ll try to get you some sea urchin.”

“That’d be great! You do kind of owe me.” Tetsurou knew that was supposed to be a joke. He was supposed to laugh it off, probably say something witty back…but he couldn’t. Instead, for the first time during in his teenage years, his eyes welled up with tears and he broke down. “K-Kuroo? Are you okay?” Daichi asked cautiously.

“It’s just so hard, Daichi! It’s so hard seeing you like this! I know, you tell me that it’s fine, that you’re okay, but I know you’re not. You miss your family, your friends, your home…and because of me, you’re stuck here! I really am sorry. I just care for you so much, and I-I _like_ you so much.” Tetsurou rubbed at his eyes, looking to see Daichi biting down on his bottom lip. “If you keep doing that, you can break the skin…”

“Do you really mean it?”

“Yes, it’s very possible to break the skin and cause bleeding--”

“No! About you _liking_ me.”

“…Yeah, I do.”

“I think I like you too?”

“You think?”

“I never really experienced these emotions before, so it’s all very new to me. I do, however, think that our feelings towards each other are mutual…but that’s not going to change the reality of everything. We both belong to two vastly different worlds. You stay on land, and I can’t live without water. The odds of this working are very slim to none.”

“You’re quite the romantic, Dai…”

“I know, I don’t mean to put a damper on things, but it has to be said.” Daichi handed the empty sashimi containers to Tetsurou. “You don’t have to bring me anymore food… I think it’ll be best…it’ll be easier for both of us, if you don’t visit anymore. I don’t want you to hurt more than I already have, and I don’t want you to feel even more guilty. I’ve accepted your apology, and you’re fully forgiven. I don’t want you caught up in this mess, Kuroo.”

“But what about you?”

“I’ll be fine. When you’re conditioned to become the next heir to a throne, you kind of learn to put other mermen’s…or in this case, people’s feelings before your own. Promise me you won’t do anything stupid, and you won’t get into any trouble?”

“Those promises are a tad bit harder to keep.”

“At least try, for me?”

“Fine.” Tetsurou agreed, not liking this scenario one bit. He wanted to see Daichi free…he was going to set Daichi free. “I guess I’ll be going now.”

“Goodnight Kuroo.” Daichi used the ledge to pull himself up a bit, surprising Kuroo by placing the tiniest peck on his cheek. Daichi then quickly made a dive, swimming down to the depths of the tank, leaving Tetsurou speechless and with warm cheeks.

 

\--

 

  

Tetsurou made his way back to the truck, where Bokuto was waiting as patiently as he could. When he climbed in, Bokuto immediately sensed his sour mood. “You okay, bro?”

“No…”

“You want to talk about it? I’m all ears, plus I have to actually go pick up a pizza now so my parents don’t call my bluff.” Bokuto explained.

“I was pretty much broken up with? Though we weren’t like dating… he said it would be better if I stopped visiting, it’ll make it easier on the both of us if I stopped coming. He thinks this is hurting my feelings since I feel so bad that he’s stuck there, all alone. We have to do something Bo! I can’t just let him rot in there like some show animal.”

“What should we do?”

“I told I got a plan…I think it’ll work, but we can’t do it until the weekend.”

 

\--

 

The plan was simple in theory. He and Bokuto sneak into the aquarium again, lift Daichi out of the tank, and place Daichi in the bed of his dad’s pickup truck. Then they would drive to the beach and release Daichi back into the ocean.

 

After thinking of all the possibilities that could go wrong, Tetsurou realized that it would be important to maybe have some water on hand. Daichi was part fish, and the last thing he needed was for Daichi to suffocate on the way to freedom. That would blow.

 

This meant Tetsurou had to stock up on spray bottles to help keep Daichi hydrated during the commute. He made his way to a market, entering the store and looking around for the household supplies. Just as he was piling practically every spray bottle that was available on the shelf into his basket, someone called out to him. He looked up, scowling as Daishou Suguru slithered over, with a smug smile on his lips. “Kuroo~ what brings you here?”

“Just picking up some things.”

“I see…” Daishou took a peek into the basket, “That’s a lot of spray bottles…taking up a job as a cleaner? I’m sure this store could use a new janitor.”

“No, it’s for my mom’s garden.” Tetsurou lied easily. 

“It must be quite the garden…how’s your friend?”

“Who? Bokuto?”

“No, the merman.”

Tetsurou’s jaw clenched, “Excuse me?”

“You are friends right?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Don’t play innocent, Kuroo. I overheard you and Bokuto on the beach looking for some merfolk. I was interested, told my father, who in turn told the press. Actually, you should be  _thanking_  me. Congratulations that your father’s boat is the one who found them. What kind of reward did the mayor give them? Will it help you afford college?”

“I should thank you for making an innocent person suffer?”

“Person? It’s a fish, Kuroo. Not a human.” Daishou explained, rolling his eyes with the comment. 

“Just like how you’re a snake, not a human.” Tetsurou insulted, pushing past Daishou to head to check out and leave.

 

\--

 

Daichi knew he did the right thing by asking Kuroo to not come by anymore. Though he was trying to avoid hurting Kuroo, and himself, it didn’t work very well. Being forced to perform tricks for mediocre food that didn’t really give him that much energy sucked. He was alone all the time. Even when the nice Nobuyuki fellow came and talked to him, Daichi still felt alone. He was miserable here, and the few times when Kuroo had visited him, made this situation a little less miserable.

 

He looked up at the night sky, wondering what his family were up to. Did they give up looking for him? Were they starting to accept that he probably would never come back? Daichi hated being pessimistic, but the likelihood of an escape seemed impossible. He closed his eyes, floating on his back and trying to enjoy the silence.

 

That didn’t last very long, because he heard footsteps and shuffling. Daichi looked around for a sign of a possible threat, wondering if he should dive deep and hide. The familiar mess of hair hiding behind a hoodie however made him relax. “Kuroo? What are you doing?”

“I’m here to break you out.” Kuroo answered, an infuriating smirk on his face.

“I’m here to help! Hi, I’m Bokuto.” Daichi recognized the gray and black hair.

“Uh…” 

“Don’t worry, he’s not the one who told everyone. We went through this and we don’t have time to go through it again.” Kuroo announced motioning for Daichi to come over to the steps. “Come on, so we can lift you out of here!”

“This is stupid! You two could get into so much trouble!” Daichi pointed out, staying put.

“Yes, that’s true, but that’s also assuming that we’re going to get caught, and we won’t if you just  _cooperate_. Now come on!” Daichi was skeptical, but he swam over anyway.

“Be gentle please…” He then pleaded, not sure if he could trust these two to lift him. Bokuto looked a bit promising with his bulk, but Kuroo was lanky.

“I guess I’ll grab his torso; you do the tail?” Bokuto suggested, leaning forward to place his arms under Daichi’s pits and lifting him out the water. Daichi wasn’t a fan of being manhandled, as Kuroo supported his tail and they started waddling away from the tank. He feared they'd soon drop him. “No offense, Daichi… I can call you Daichi, right?

“Yes.”

“Well, no offense Daichi, but you’re a lot heavier than I thought.” Bokuto commented.

“Thank you?”

“How are you feeling?” Kuroo asked as they continued their shuffle to the truck, staying hidden in the shadows.

“It’s getting harder to breathe.” Daichi choked out. “I’d advise you two to speed it up a bit.”

“Right... right!”

 

\--

 

Tetsurou was surprised that they had managed to pull off the task so far. He didn’t want to count the mission a success until Daichi was back in the ocean though. He helped Bokuto lift Daichi onto the bed of the truck, and immediately started spraying him with water, which helped bring some life back into Daichi’s face. “This is risky.” Daichi muttered, while Bokuto focused on spraying away.

“Yeah, I know, just hang in there.”

“You sure you don’t want me to drive?” Bokuto asked and Tetsurou shook his head.

“No, I know the back way better than you, plus I have better night vision Mr-I-left-my-glasses. We can’t afford to get lost, we’re on crunch time. He’s going to take care of you, Daichi…you’ll be home soon.”

 

\--

 

During the ride, Daichi watched this Bokuto guy carefully. “Thank you.” he finally muttered, causing Bokuto to meet eyes with him.

“It’s no problem at all, dude! I want to help my buddy out, and if you’re a friend to Kuroo, you’re a friend to me!”

“But isn’t your hand tired?” Daichi asked. He had gathered enough strength to help Bokuto spray water on his own tail, but his hand started to cramp soon after. So he gave up.

“Yeah, but I can’t just let you suffocate. That would be wrong.”

“Kuroo said you didn’t tell anyone our secret…why?”

“It’s not my secret to tell, simple as that.”

“You’re his best friend.” It was a statement, not a question.

“Kuroo and I have been friends since we were kids… I’ve always had his back. He was happy, finding a friend like you, and if me keeping my mouth shut would have helped him keep that relationship, I was going to do everything I could to keep my mouth shut. I’m sorry you got captured. I’m sorry we weren’t very good and checking to make sure no one was around to overhear us… I’m sorry that you thought this was partly my doing at first.”

“I forgive you. I’m sorry I accused you without knowing the whole story…and I appreciate you helping me out of that tank.”

“Like I said! A friend of Kuroo, is a friend of mine!” Bokuto smiled, and Daichi couldn’t help but smile back.

“Can you promise me something, Bokuto?”

“Sure.”

“When I go back home… I’m not going to probably ever seen Kuroo again… but you will. Can you promise me that you’ll always be his friend and help him get over our upcoming goodbye?”

“Daichi, I don’t know if I can do that…”

“Why not?”

“This friendship that you made with Kuroo, it’s something special! We never know what the future has in store for us…”

“Bokuto, I’m a merman. I’m an heir to a throne, I have to be realistic. This relationship, no matter how much I wish it would work, I know it won’t. I just need you to be the friend to Kuroo that I wish I could continue to be.”

“I—I’ll do my best. Can you promise me something in return?”

“It depends…” Daichi said, though he was intrigued.

“Promise me that you’ll come back. Give it six months, starting counting down from the second we set you free. In six months, come back to the dune.”

“Why?”

“Just promise me, Daichi…”

Daichi had no clue what Bokuto was planning, but he agreed anyway.

 

\--

 

They arrived at the beach just before dawn, and Testurou quickly went out to the back to help Bokuto carry Daichi behind the rocky dunes that used to be their secret meeting place, and helped set Daichi into the water. He could tell being back in the ocean, already had Daichi as happy as he could be. “I’ll…give you two a minute to say goodbye.” Bokuto announced, “Bye Daichi! Stay safe. It was nice meeting you.”

“Thank you for all your help, Bokuto.” Daichi said waving goodbye as Bokuto disappeared and headed back to the truck, leaving him and Tetsurou alone. “Well…this is goodbye.”

“Yeah, we don’t have much time. They probably know you’re missing by now, and will be sending ships to come find you soon. You should head home, and tell your family.”

“Kuroo… thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s the least I can do; you didn’t deserve this. No matter what you keep telling yourself! No one deserves to be treated the way you were at that aquarium, Daichi.”

“I’ll miss you, you know. You were truly a great friend.”

“I’ll miss you too.” Tetsurou admitted, “Here… I want you to have this.” Tetsurou unwrapped the black woven bracelet from his own wrist, and tied it to Daichi’s.

“But your dad gave you this…”

“And I want you to have it.”

“Then you have to keep this.” Daichi said, reaching to unclasp the shark tooth necklace from his neck, and placing it in Kuroo’s hand. Tetsurou looked down and bit his bottom lip to prevent himself from crying. This is really goodbye. “Take care of yourself, Kuroo…okay?”

“Okay. You do the same.” Tetsurou watched a flash of emotion run through Daichi’s eyes, and it confused him. What was that?

 

He then experienced slight déjà vu, as Daichi used the land as a surface to pull himself up on, placing the most tender kiss on his lips. Before he could fully wrap his mind around what happened, Daichi disappeared into the ocean. He resurfaced kilometers away, giving one final wave before diving deep into the depths of the ocean, returning home where he belonged. Tetsurou told himself not to cry, this had to happen, and at least Daichi was now free.

 

\--

  **SIX MONTHS LATER**

 

Tetsurou had stopped going to the dune after his final goodbye with Daichi. It hurt too much. After the news broke out of Daichi’s release, fishermen were back to sea, doing their best to recapture him, but of course there was no luck. Tetsurou wondered if Daichi and his family moved even further out, to ensure that no one would be captured again.

 

He accepted that Daichi would always just be a memory. Even as he graduated high school, started college to begin his marine biologist dreams, and got a job with Bokuto on their fathers' fishing boat, he knew no matter how long he set sail and studied the sea, he probably wouldn’t run into Daichi again. Tetsurou even stopped surfing.

 

Bokuto burst into his room, at 5AM, demanding that he get dressed to go surfing. Tetsurou was not exactly thrilled, but he was willing to indulge his friend. Together they made their way to the beach.

 

Tetsurou should have known that something was up, when Bokuto led him to the dreaded dune. “Bo, come on…why are we here?”

“I have a surprise for you.”

“What?”

“Just come on, make sure no one can see us.”

“…What?!”

 

He and Bokuto sat on the sandy beach, hidden behind the dune with their boards and watching the waves. “These waves are crappy… today’s not a good day to surf.”

“Just be patient.” Bokuto pleaded, excitement radiating off of him.

“Patient for what?”

“For that.” Bokuto said pointing to something sticking its head up from the water. Tetsurou squinted, trying to get a good look.

“Is that…?” Tetsurou couldn’t believe his eyes. He grabbed his board, paddling like crazy out to the creature wadding at the surface. Once the board was in reach, he watched Daichi lean against it.

“Hi.”

“H-Hi.”

“So is this why Bokuto told me to come here?”

“ _Bokuto_  told you to come here?”

“Yeah, he made me promise before you set me free to come back in six months. It’s been six months.”

“T-that rascal!” Tetsurou laughed, turning to peek back at Bokuto, who was giving him thumbs up. “I can’t believe it!”

“Me either. I was quite skeptical at first, but I’m glad I kept my promise.”

“I’m glad too…they gave up searching for you. I knew they wouldn’t find you, but part of me still thought maybe you moved further out.”

“No, we’re still around. My elders have been watching your kind, so I know that you all gave up searching, which is great because the clams from this area are quite tasty.”

“Wait, aren’t you going to get in trouble?”

“No, I have permission now. As long as the meetings are brief and I’m a lot more careful than before.”

“This is crazy. I really have to thank Bo. I really missed you, Dai.”

“I missed you too.” Daichi said reaching out to touch the shark tooth necklace that hung around Kuroo’s neck. “You’re still wearing it.”

“Haven’t taken it off once.”

“Same!” Daichi held up his wrist, displaying the woven bracelet that Kuroo gave him. The smile that broke out on his face as he did so was infectious, leaving Tetsurou to smile back goofily.

“Okay, you two lovebirds. I hate to break up this moment, but I think it’s time to cut this meeting off.” Bokuto said, surprising the two as he paddled over to them. They didn’t even hear him approach, too caught up in their excitement of being able to see each other once more.

“Will I see you again?” Tetsurou asked, leaning a bit closer to Daichi.

Daichi nodded his head, “Next week, I can come back.”

“You promise?”

“Yeah.” Tetsurou shyly leaned forward, pressing his lips to Daichi’s, happy to finally be reunited. "Are we really doing this? Are we really going to give this a try?" Daichi asked, a slight tint to his cheeks.

"I want to, do you?"

"I want to."

**Author's Note:**

> Find me [here](http://roronoaxd.tumblr.com).


End file.
